Author
Topic: David Murray John will be turning in his grave! (Read 4119 times)

Will the commercial options for Lydiard Park and House see the public lose free access to the parkland? The councillors seem to be saying no, but if someone offers them loadsa money, well... what do you think?

"From 1942 the park was used as a military hospital by the American Forces, and subsequently, at the end of the Second World War, as a prisoner of war camp. In 1943 the House and park were bought by the Corporation of Swindon, with a view to establishing a university. "

Allowing charging for access, or carparking should be resisted at all costs. I personally don't see a problem with leasing the land to an operator, whos aims to gain a return by improving the attraction.

So long as the park and woodland is maintained, after all bloody millions of lottery and other funding has gone into it over the last 20 years or so, the promise being that it stays that way and with open access.

I remember the Community Forest display inside the Café area with a wooden five bar gate, when we couldn't get sweet FA for anything over this neck of the woods - pardon the pun.

The best outcome would be a trust set up by locals and managed as not for profit. If this doesn't happen, any sort of public ownership will continue to be eroded until, eventually it's built on.

Oi! Listen mush. Old eyes, remember? I’ve been around the block a few times. More than a few. They’ve knocked down the blocks I’ve been around and rebuilt them as bigger blocks. Super blocks. And I’ve been round them as well. The Doctor (Night Terrors)

"From 1942 the park was used as a military hospital by the American Forces, and subsequently, at the end of the Second World War, as a prisoner of war camp. In 1943 the House and park were bought by the Corporation of Swindon, with a view to establishing a university. "

Allowing charging for access, or carparking should be resisted at all costs. I personally don't see a problem with leasing the land to an operator, whos aims to gain a return by improving the attraction.

More likely he's turning in his grave seeing that 70 years on we still don't have a university! In fact we have the dubious honour of being the largest town in the UK without its own university. Remember DMJ wasn't a man who preserved everything in aspic.

If that's what the land was originally bought for then I for one would have no issue with it becoming the site of a university.

Oi! Listen mush. Old eyes, remember? I’ve been around the block a few times. More than a few. They’ve knocked down the blocks I’ve been around and rebuilt them as bigger blocks. Super blocks. And I’ve been round them as well. The Doctor (Night Terrors)